| The inspiring story of Lance Armstrong's determined | | | | for these forms of cycling. By contrast, road cyclists |
| struggle against cancer and his triumphant return to | | | | use bikes with a more aggressive geometry that |
| professional cycling has touched hundreds of | | | | permit attainment of greater speed. |
| thousands of people across the world. His seven | | | | In an increasingly environmentally conscious world, |
| straight wins in the world's greatest cycling race, the | | | | many people choose to commute by bicycle. A hybrid |
| Tour de France, has surely helped cycling's profile. | | | | bike, which marries features of a road and mountain |
| But what is it about the sport of cycling that is so | | | | bike, is ideal for this purpose. |
| attractive? | | | | Cycling is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise, |
| In part, the partnership of man and machine has a | | | | meaning that you can improve your aerobic fitness |
| distinct attraction. The modern-day bicycle, with cranks | | | | and endurance by undertaking the activity. Regular |
| and pedals, was invented in the 1860s with the first | | | | cycling can also help you to lose weight. The sport of |
| bicycle race thought to have been conducted at the | | | | cycling is essentially non weight-bearing, meaning that |
| Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris in 1868. | | | | your joints are spared the repetitive impact of sports |
| Man's desire to cross a variety of terrain and desire to | | | | such as running. If you have sustained a |
| ride faster has driven the evolution of bicycles. The | | | | musculoskeletal injury cycling is an excellent way of |
| predecessors of the sleek, light-weight carbon bikes | | | | attaining a workout without causing further damage. |
| used in modern professional racing are steel-framed, | | | | Riding a bicycle does require a certain degree of |
| welded and by comparison unwieldy machines. | | | | balance and skill, much of which though many of us |
| For professional cyclists the difference between | | | | acquire as children. |
| winning and losing a race may be a matter of a split | | | | Aside from the health benefits of cycling, many people |
| second and the cutting edge technology of cycoe | | | | find that it is a great social activity. Clubs and groups |
| development demonstrates this. | | | | are regularly found in many areas promoting the sport |
| Of course, not everyone who takes up cycling wants | | | | for enjoyment and fitness and regularly stopping off |
| to compete at the elite level. Cycling is a sport | | | | for a coffee and chat afterwards. |
| attractive to people in of walks of life and which is | | | | So if you have a desire to be the master of your own |
| certainly not confined to road racing. | | | | machineand to get fit and with the aid of the increase |
| Mountain bike riding is exceptionally popular, as is | | | | in promotion of cycling as a great contribution to the |
| cyclo-cross riding. Bikes with sturdy tyres, flat handle | | | | environment, cycling could be the sport for you. |
| bars and gearing appropriate to hilly terrain are used | | | | |